Monday Night Football Preview
Seattle Seahawks (2-1) vs. New York Giants (1-2)
- Spread: Seahawks -1.5
- Over/ Under: 47.5
Breakdown
The big storyline in this game is the availability of star running back, Saquon Barkley. Barkley suffered a high ankle sprain in week 2 and is doubtful to play in this matchup. The Giants missed him in week 3 as the leading rusher was Matt Breida with only 17 yards. Daniel Jones needs to step up in the absence of Barkley. Jones has only thrown for more than 140 yards once so far this season. He is a good player when he utilizes his legs, which he was unable to do last week, rushing for only 5 yards compared to the 59 rush yards he had in week 2. Jones is tasked with moving the ball to its many different weapons, none more important than the new tight end Darren Waller. He should be the top target in this offense, especially with Barkley most likely missing this contest. In both of the Giants’ losses, he has only managed 3 catches but in their lone win, he had 6 catches. Getting him involved will be vital in what seems to be a pretty even matchup. The Giants wide receiver room is full of good players but no elite talent and it seems that Daniel Jones has a different go-to receiver every week. Darius Slayton seems to be the go-to target but rookie Jalin Hyatt has major explosiveness, showcased in his 89-yard game in week 2.
The Seahawks were one of the biggest surprises last season and a big reason why was starting quarterback Geno Smith. Geno has continued his good play from last season and has thrown for over 290 yards in back-to-back games, and the Seahawks won both those games. The Seahawks have surrounded Geno with great talent at both wide receiver and running back. How can you not start with DK Metcalf when discussing the Seahawks offensive weapons? Metcalf is a physical do-it-all all receiver and the Seahawks use him in many different ways. Metcalf has the ability to take the top off the defense but can also use his large frame to box out defensive backs and post up for underneath catches near the first down marker. He is complimented nicely by Tyler Lockett. Lockett has struggled in two of the three weeks but he was great in week 2 against the Lions, bringing in 8 receptions for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has gotten off to a slow start in his rookie campaign, but as the season goes on, I expect him to get more involved. Kenneth Walker is the lead halfback for this offense and he has been effective in his role so far, running in two touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. On the Season he has 204 yards on the ground and another 73 through the air. Zach Charbonnet is another rookie in this offense who will see his usage go up as the year progresses. He only has 16 rush attempts this season but the carry amount has gone up each week and he will be a good compliment to Ken Walker this season.
Keys to Victory
Seahawks: Run the Ball. The Giants have struggled to stop the run so far this season and with two good running backs, the ground game should be one of the main focuses of the offense. The Giants defense is averaging 138 yards against on the ground.
Giants: Daniel Jones. The game is on his shoulder with Barkley most likely missing in this matchup. Jones needs to utilize his legs and spark the ground game himself. Doing this will open up Breida to be able to rush effectively and also make the play-action pass game a vital part of the offense. Jones has speedy playmakers on the outside but the Giants offense has had trouble getting them going. Get the ball out quickly and utilize Waller in the middle of the field.
Prop Bet Pick
Daniel Jones Over 35.5 Rushing Yards (-113)
He has hit this line in 2 out of 3 games this season and after last week’s performance, the Giants should scheme up more designed runs for their quarterback.
DFS Picks
Seahawks offense: Jason Myers. Okay, I know it’s weird to pick a kicker but he has attempted 3 field goals in every game this season and he is coming off of a game where he went 5/5 on field goals. The obvious offensive pieces like Metcalf and Walker are much more expensive and JSN and Charbonnet seem a little too risky.
Giants Offense: Darren Waller. He should be so heavily involved in the offense and all the other pass catchers are too risky. Each week you never know who the top option will be between Hodgins, Slayton, Campbell, or Hyatt.
